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THE 



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OF 



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ACT OF HfCOKPOMOT, 



CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS 



tmltm ftarg ^8S0tratt0rt 



®F @S8@@KILYRI« 



FOUNDED, 1830, 



B E K L Y N : 

IP E. ISTEB FOE THE ASSOCIATION, 

1853. 






^ 






AST ©f aM©®ia[?®[aia , irQ®Ki l 

(Lawa of 1842. Chapter 122.) 



Sin &ct to incorporate 



Hamfe f itarg ^srafum of $rrolilp. 

Passed March 30, 1842, by a two-third Vote. 

The people of the State of New-York, represented in Senate 
and Assembly, do enact as follows : — 

§ 1. Alden J. Spooner, Joshua M. Van Cott, Robert Coch- 
ran, Junior, Abraham B. Baylis, Charles B. Marvin, Harmanus 

B. Duryea, Henry E. Shackerly, William Barbour, Samuel H. 
Howard, George Howard, William Jones, Junior, Philip V. 
R. Stanton, James McLean, Daniel Trembley, John Greenwood, 
John S. Mackay, Samuel McLean, Samuel 0. Putnam, Joseph 
E. Paine, Alexander Kissam, Edmund Terry, William H. Van 
Cott, Corydon S. Sperry, William K. Northall, Andrew A. 
Smith, S. Alpheus Smith, John P. Marvin, William M. 
W. Cochran, Robert Shirwell, Joseph L. Brigham, Edward 
Pilley, Benjamin Stark, Junior, Samuel C. Barnes, James 

C. Gascoigne, Rollin Sandford, David A. Bokee, I. Stanley 
Milford, George C. Ripley, I. Warren Hill, Edmund S. 
Monroe, Cornelius S. Stryker, William H. Tiffany, Howard 



4 ACT OP INCORPORATION. 

Olmsted, Edwards W. Fisk, James H. Lanman, Andrew B. 
DouglasSjWilliam G-.Wfee, James L.Campbell, Alexander Camp- 
bell, James Plant, Andrew A. 0. Spooner, William J. Coffin, 
Arthur W. Benson, Henry W. Johnson, James Hazlet, John 
M. Pratt, Hiram B. Lathrop, S. Morgan Bossiter, members of 
the Hamilton Literary Association of Brooklyn, in the 
County of Kings, and all persons whom they shall hereafter 
associate with them, are hereby created a body corporate, by the 
name of " The Hamilton Literary Association of Brook- 
lyn," for the purpose of establishing and maintaining a Library, 
Beading Boom, Literary and Scientific Lectures, Debating Ex- 
ercises, and of employing such other means as may be suitable 
for promoting moral and intellectual improvement, with power 
for such purposes, to take by purchase, devise or otherwise, and 
to hold, mortgage, transfer and convey real and personal estate 
to the amount of twenty-five thousand dollars. 

3 2. The power to purchase, mortgage, transfer and convey 
real and personal estate, direct and manage the fiscal concerns, 
and contract, receive and pay the debts of the Association, shall 
be vested in an Executive Committee, to consist of the Presi- 
dent, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer of the Associa- 
tion, for the time being, and five Managers. A majority of the 
Executive Committee shall be necessary to form a quorum ; and 
a majority of such quorum shall be sufficient to decide any 
question. The times of the meeting of said committee, and 
the manner in which they may be called together, shall be fixed 
by the By-Laws of the Association. 

\ 3. The Officers of the Association shall be elected annual- 
ly, or oftener, at such time, by such persons, and in such manner 
as the said Association, in and by its By-Laws, shall appoint 
and direct ; but they may, nevertheless, hold over until their 
successors shall be chosen. 

1 4. All the powers of this Corporation not vested in the 
Executive Committee, shall be exercised by such members, 
officers, and committees, and according to such rules and regu- 
lations as the Constitution and By-Laws of the Association, 



ACT OF INCORPORATION. 5 

not inconsistent with the Constitution and Laws of this State, 
and of the United States, shall from time to time direct and 
ordain. 

I 5. The Executive Committee shall not sell or mortgage 
real or personal estate, nor incur debts without the assent of 
the Association, signified in such manner as the By-Laws shall 
direct ; and they shall report their proceedings to the Associa- 
tion as often as required by its vote, and the directions of the 
Association shall be binding on the committee. 

I 6. All vacancies in any of the offices of the said cor- 
poration, which may from time to time happen, shall be filled 
as the said corporation shall, in and by its By-Laws, direct and 
appoint. 

I 7. The estate, property and funds of the said corporation 
shall be devoted solely to the purposes and business of the said 
corporation, as set forth and declared in and by the first section 
of this act ; and the real estate of said corporation shall be 
subject to taxation, in the same manner that real estate is, 
which is held or owned by individuals. 

I 8. The said corporation shall possess the powers, and be 
subject to the provisions and liabilities of the Third Title of 
the Eighteenth Chapter of the first part of the Revised Statutes. 

\ 9. This Act shall take effect immediately. 



©©MiTQTUDTOCDM 



AETICLE I. 

Name. This Association shall be styled " The Hamilton Literary 
Association of Brooklyn." 

ARTICLE n. 

Object. The object of this Association shall be moral and intellectual 
improvement, by means of Debate, Original Composition, Lec- 
tures, and other appropriate exercises. 

ARTICLE in. 

Officer?. The officers of this Association shall consist of a President, 
Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer and Editor. 

ARTICLE IV. 

standing; The Standing Committees shall consist of an Executive Com- 
" mittee, a Committee of Criticism, a Literary and a Lecture 
Committee. 

ARTICLE V. 

Presidency. No person shall be eligible to the office of President for two 
successive terms. 

ARTICLE VI. 

President. The President shall deliver an Inaugural Address on enter- 
ing upon his official duties, and on retiring therefrom a Vale- 
dictory. He shall preside at all meetings of the Association 
and of the Executive Committee ; preserve order and decorum ; 
enforce the observance of the Constitution and By-Laws ; de- 
cide all questions of order, subject, however, to an appeal to 



CONSTITUTION. 7 

the Association, or the Committee, on motion duly made and 
seconded ; shall appoint all committees not otherwise provided 
for ; supply the place of officers and members appointed to any 
duties, who may be temporarily absent, and when the Association 
is equally divided on any question, he shall have a casting vote. 
He shall also have the power of calling extra meetings of 
the Association, and of the Executive Committee, and shall be 
required to do so on the written request of five members. 

ARTICLE VII. 

In the absence of the President the Vice-President shall vice 
perform the duties of that officer. 

He shall also, at the last regular meeting of the term, present 
a written report upon the state of the Association. 

ARTICLE VIII. 

The Secretary shall record the transactions of the Association ; Secretary, 
read at each meeting the minutes of the preceding ; file and pre- 
serve the papers of the Association ; conduct the correspondence, 
and perform such other appropriate duties as the President may 
direct. 

ARTICLE IX. 

The Treasurer shall keep the accounts of the Association, and Treasurer, 
collect, invest and disburse its monies as the Executive Com- 
mittee shall direct. 

ARTICLE X. 

The President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer, Executive 
with five managers, shall constitute the Executive Committee. 
This Committee shall direct and manage the fiscal concerns of 
the Association, and make such appropriations of money in the 
Treasury as may be necessary to pay the debts, and meet the 
current expenditures ; but no appropriation exceeding the sum 
of twenty-five dollars shall be made for any one object, without 
the assent of the Association, except to pay debts and fulfil 
engagements before approved. 

This Committee shall preserve a regular record of its trans- 



O CONSTITUTION. 

actions, and shall report the same when required by vote of the 
Association. 

AETICLE XI. 

Committee The Committee of Criticism shall consist of two members. 
Criticism. They shall report the questions for debate, and present a written 
criticism on each debate at the regular meeting nest ensuing. 

ARTICLE XII. 

Editor, The Editor shall read before the Association at each regular 
meeting, a paper, with such appropriate communications as he 
may receive, reserving to their respective authors the right 
to have the same read by any member to whom they may be 
addressed. He shall preserve on the files of the Association 
all such papers and communications. 

AETICLE XIII. 

^ Library The Library Committee shall consist of three members. They 
' shall have charge of the Library of the Association and expend 
all moneys appropriated to its use. 

AETICLE XIV. 

L t The Lecture Committee shall consist of five members. It 

Committee, shall be the duty of this Committee to provide for the delivery 
of a course of lectures before the Association whenever the As- 
sociation shall direct, and to make all necessary arrange- 
ments in connection therewith. The surplus proceeds, if any, 
arising from such lectures, shall not go" into the general treas- 
ury, but shall be held by the Treasurer in trust as a Lecture 
Fund. 

AETICLE XY. 

Session. The session of the Association shall be held from the first day 
of September to the first day of May in each year, and shall 
consist of two equal terms of four months each. 
The stated meetings shall be held weekly during the session. 



CONSTITUTION. 9 

AETICLE XVI. 

Candidates for membership shall be at least seventeen years Election of 
of age, and shall be proposed not less than one week previous to Members - 
their being balloted for. When ballotted for, if there be not 
three dissenting votes, they may become members upon signing 
the Constitution and paying the initiation fee, within four weeks 
after their election. 

ARTICLE XVII. 

Honorary members shall be possessed of the qualifications of, Honorary 
and be elected in the manner prescribed in relation to regular em ers- 
members. They shall not be required to pay an initiation fee 
or dues ; they shall not be eligible to any office, nor shall they 
vote in the proceedings, but shall be privileged to take part in 
the Literary Exercises of the Association. 

AETICLE XVIH. 

Any member who shall allow his dues to exceed the sum of Forfeiture of 
four dollars shall forfeit his membership, and when the fact shall em ers ip 
be established by the written certificate of the Treasurer, his 
name may, by vote of the Association, be stricken from the 
roll. 

Any member guilty of disorderly or improper conduct shall 
be liable to expulsion ; but no sentence of expulsion shall be 
passed, unless two weeks notice of the charge against the ac- 
cused has been rendered him in writing by the Secretary, that 
he may prepare his defence ; nor then unless by vote of two- 
thirds of the members present. 

ARTICLE XIX. 

No By-Law shall be enacted, altered or repealed, unless no- By-Latre. 
tice has been given at least one week previously, which notice 
shall also specify the time when the subject will be brought up, 
nor shall any article be suspended save by the consent of two- 
thirds of the members present. 



10 CONSTITUTION. 



AETICLE XX. 



Constitution No alterations of, nor additions to, this Constitution shall be 
made, without the concurrence of two-thirds of the members 
present at a regular meeting of the Association, notice of the 
terms of such proposed alteration or additions, and of the time 
at which it will be called up, having been given by the Presi- 
dent at a regular meeting at least two weeks previously. 

No article shall be suspended except by the unanimous con- 
sent of the members present. 



BY-LAWS. 



CHAPTER I. 



ARTICLE I. 

The stated meetings of this Association shall beheld on each Meetings of 

• ii. ii i Association. 

Monday evening of the session. The chair shall be taken at 
half-past seven o'clock. Five members shall constitute a quo- 
rum for the transaction of business. 

ARTICLE II. 

The order of business shall be as follows : 0rder of 

Business. 

1. The calling of the roll. 

2. Reading of minutes. 

3. The Editor's paper. 

4. The Critique of the Committee of Criticism. 

5. The selection of the question and the appointment of 

disputants. 

6. The Debate. 

1. Unfinished business of the last meeting. 

8. Proposing and balloting for members. 

9. Reports. 

10. Motions and miscellaneous business. 

ARTICLE III. 

The Committee of Criticism shall propose no subject for Questions 
debate directly connected with party politics or with sectarian 
religion. Every question shall be adopted by vote of the Asso- 
ciation, two weeks previous to .the evening appointed for the 
debate. 



12 BY-LAWS. 

ARTICLE IV. 

E Office°£ 0t The 0fficers and Standing Committees (the Lecture Commit- 
tee excepted) shall be elected by a majority of votes by written 
ballot, at the first regular meeting in December and April, or 
at a regular meeting as soon thereafter as possible, and shall 
enter upon their respective duties at the first regular meetings 
in January and September. 

The Lecture Committee shall be elected in the same manner 
as other officers, at the first regular meeting in April, and 
shall enter upon their duties on the first day of May thereafter 
and hold office for one year. 

ARTICLE V. 

Selection of Upon the adoption of a subject for debate, the President 

and Manner shall appoint four Disputants — two upon each side — these shall 

a e ' be appointed two weeks previous to the evening of debate. 

The Disputants having each spoken once, the argument shall 
be closed by one on each side in a speech of not over ten minutes 
duration, and the President shall then give a decision upon the 
merits of the argument, after which the debate shall be thrown 
open, and the merits of the question decided by vote of the As- 
sociation. 

ARTICLE VI. 

Election. At every election the President shall appoint two members 
to canvass the ballots, and shall require from them a written 
certificate of the result. The Secretary shall not state in his 
minutes whether or not a member has been unanimously elected, 
nor shall he record the fact of the rejection of any person pro- 
posed for membership. 

ARTICLE VII. 

Meetings of The stated meetings of the Executive Committee shall be 

Executive . 

Committee, held on the first Monday evening of each month during the 
session. A majority of the Committee shall constitute a 
quorum. 



BS-LAWS. 13 

ARTICLE Yin. 

The Executive Committee shall report to the Association Report of 

. Executive 

any subject requiring its assent, at least one week previous to Committee, 
the same being acted upon, and the assent of the society shall 
be signified by a majority vote of the members present. 

ARTICLE IX. 

The President shall give notice of any vacancy which may Vacancies, 
occur by resignation or otherwise, in any office or standing 
committee at the earliest opportunity after its occurrence, and 
at the next regular meeting the same shall be supplied by elec- 
tion, in the manner prescribed by the By-Laws. 

ARTICLE X. 
Each member shall pay an initiation fee of Three Dollars, *?<» of 

r J Members. 

and for each term of his connection with the Association, Two 
Dollars. 

ARTICLE XI. 

Leave of absence may be granted by vote of the Association Leave of 
to any member about leaving the city, on application, and after 
such leave has been granted, his dues shall be remitted for each 
full term he is absent from the city. 

ARTICLE, XII. 

1. Every motion, at the request of the President, shall be Rules of 
submitted in writing. 

2. All amendments shall be considered and decided before the 
original question, unless there shall be a call for the previous 
question, which shall always be put, if the call be sustained by 
a majority of the members present. 

3. The motions to adjourn, to postpone, to put the question 
pending, and to amend, and the call for the previous question, 
shall always be in order, and except the motion to amend, 
shall be put without discussion. 

4. Every question shall be decided by a majority of votes, 



14 BY-LAWS. 

except in cases otherwise provided for by the Constitution and 
By-Laws. 

No question shall .be reconsidered at the same meeting, 
but with the consent of two-thirds of 1 the members present, 
nor at a subsequent meeting, unless notice shall have been given 
at a previous regular meeting. 

5. "When any member is called to order, he shall take his seat 
until the President shall decide upon the propriety of the call. 

6. An appeal from the decision of the chair shall not be dis- 
cussed except by the member appealing. 

7. The name of any member may, at his request, be recorded 
in the minutes as voting in the affirmative or negative of any 
question. The names of all voting for or'against any motion 
may, by resolution to that effect, be entered upon the minutes. 

8. No member may speak more than fifteen minutes upon 
any question, nor shall any one, except the proposer of a mo- 
tion speak more than twice upon the same question without 
permission. Any member, however, may explain when he con- 
ceives his remarks to have been misunderstood, or misinter- 
preted. 



LIST OF MEMBERS 



Date of 




Date of 




Election 




Election 


E. 




A. 


1837 


Ellison. A. B. 


1838 


Arnold. S. G. 


1839 


Kdgerton, Joseph K. 


1844 


Anthon. Wm. H. 




P. • 


1850 


Ackley, Wm. B. 


1839 


Filley. Edward 


1852 


Atwater. Robert F. 


1841 


Fisk. Edwards W. 




B. 


1847 


Pellowes, Charles H. 


1830 


Barnes, Charles L. 




G. 


l; 


Bartow. Edgar J. 


1837 


Gilbert ■ 


1832 


Bigelow. John M. 


1838 


Greenwood, John 




Beldeu, William 


" 


Graves, Jr.. Roswell 


1835 


Barbour. William 


1839 


Gascoigne. James C. 




Baylis. A. B. 


1841 


Gascoigne. S, A. 


1839 


Brigbam. J. L. 


1843 


Greenwood. Jos. M. 




Barnes. S. C. 


1S51 


Glover. Charles H. 


'• 


Brace. Wm. H. 




H. 


1840 


Bokee. D. A. 


1830 


Hadden. Alexander 




Benson. A. M. " 


li 


Howard, Jr., Joseph 


t; 


Bailey. Hamilton 


" 


Howard, John T. 


1842 


Birch. Thomas L. 


1832 


Hadden. Henry G. 


1844 


Baldwin, Thomas D. 


1833 


Hegeman. Joseph. 




Bancroft. Henry 


" 


Halsiead, E. S. 


i: 


Benson. John 


" 


Hubbard. H. T. 




Betts. W. 0. 


' : 


Howard, Samuel H. 


1845 


Bridges. M. K. 


1837 


Hatch. 


1847 


Burrill. S. E. 


" 


Howard. Benj. C. 


•' 


Bryce. John W. 


' : 


Howard. George A. 


1850 


Brainerd. Roswell C. 


a 


Howard. George 


" 


Brophy. H. G. 


1838 


Hitchcock. John A. 


1851 


Benson. Jr., John. 


1840 


Hill. J. Warren 


1852 


Brown. Elias G. 




Hazlet. James 




C. 




Holbrook. H. S. 


1833 


Cochran. Jr., Robert 


1842 


Hubbard. James. 


1836 


Clapp. J.' B. 


1850 


Hammond. Jr., Wm. G 


1840 


Cochran, W. W. 


" 


Hess. John 


" 


Campbell, J. L. 




I. 


" 


Campbell. Alexander 


1844 


Ingraham, Richard 




Coffin. W. J. 


1850 


Ingraham. Wm. M. 


1843 


Curtis, Wm. E. 




J. 


1845 


Corson, J. W. 


1830 


Jewett, Jr.. John 


1847 


Chapman, C. R. 


.( 


Jones. Jr.. William 




Chapman. Jr.. Lebbeus 


1837 


Johnson, William M. 


" 


Cady. Howard C. 


1841 


Johnson, Samuel E. 


1851 


Clarke. James D. 


•' 


Johnson, Henry W. 


1852. 


Coffin. Wm. J. 


1844 


Jones. J. Wyman 


" 


Cleveland. G. N. 




K. 




D. 


1830 


King. Thomas G. 


1830 


Dow, Josiah 


1838 


Kissam. Alexander 


" 


Dow, Richard W. 


1840 


Kimberly. O. P. 


<; 


Dow, Horace A. 


1843 


Kendrick. John 


" 


Dow. George W. 


1844 


Kissam. Seabury 


1831 


Dubois, James E. 




L. 


1832 


Dow, Charles A. 


1830 


Low, A. A. 


1833 


Duryea. H. B. 


1832 


Lawrence, John D. 


1S36 


Dixon, George C. 


1832 


Lawrence, A. T. 


1841 


Douglass, A. E. 




Low, Seth A. 


1847 


Dawson, Rodman B. 


1838 


Lyon, R. A. 



16 



LIST OF MEMBERS. 



Date of 




IDate of 




Election 


L. 


Election 


S. 


1838 


Lee. F. A. 


1S30 


Sanford, F. P. 


1841 


Lathrop, H. B. 


" 


Silliman, Henry 


" 


Lanman. J. H. 


» 


Searles, A. M. 




Little. C. H. 


i: 


Schoonmaker. John 


1843 


Low, H. W. 


1833 


Spencer, W. W. 


1844 


Landon. D S. 




Spencer, H. W. 


1847 


Lewis. E. Z. 


1834 


Schackerly, Henry 




Lux, Joseph 


1835 


Southwick, Saloman 




M. 


1836 


Stanton, P. V. R. 


1830- 


Murphy, H. C. 


1837 


Smalley. John 


1831 


Maryin, Chas. R. 


183S 


Smith, S. A. 


1832 


Merwin, M. T. 




Smith. S. O. 


« 


March, Joshua S. 




Stevens. A G. 


1833 


Mackay, John S. 


1839 


Smith, A. A. 


1835 


McLellen. James 


' ; 


Sperry, Corydon S. 


1836 


McLean. James 


" 


Shirwell. Robert 


'• 


Morse. N. B. 


' ; 


Stark. Jr. Benjamin 


1837 


Meeker, W. J. 


1840 


Spooner, A. W. O. 


1838 


McLean. Samuel 




Sanford. Rollin 


1840 


Marvin, J. P. 


'■ 


Stryker,' C. S. 


i; 


Monroe, E. S. 


1S42 


Smith, Jesse C. 


" 


Milford, J. S. 


1843 


Smith, Charles H. 


1843 


Murphy. H. W. 


1843 


Sweetzer, J. A. 


1844 


Morse. John E. 


1844 


Sterling, W. G. 


tt 


McCue. Alexander 


1847 


Smith, Isaac H. 


1847 


Mills, S. B. 




Scudder, H. J. 


1851 


Mcintosh, J. 


'■ 


Stewart. J. B. 


1852 


Miles, Edward C. 


" 


Seymour, Edward 




N. 


1848 


Stone, Summer R. 


1832 


Northall, W. K. 


1849 


Stevens. Gerard M. 


1841 


Noble, John S. 


1850 


Smith. Edgar M. 


1847 


Napier, Alexander 


■ ' 


Stoddard. E. R. 


1851 


Nichols, Charles A. 

O. 
Olmstead, J. H. 
O'Rourke. John 

P.' 
Phillips. Fred. A. 
Powell, S. S. 
Proctor, Charles 
Putnam, S, 0. 


1852 


Sherman. Benj. M. 


1840 
1851 


1830 
1S33 


T. 
Tucker, Robert 
Turner. A. R. 


1831 
1832 
1837 
1838 


1836 

1S39 
1840 


Talbot. H. 
Tremblcy. Daniel 
Terry. Edmund 
Tiffany. Wm. H. 




Paine. J. E. 


1S42 


Taylor, George F. 


1840 


Plant, James 


1847 


Thorne. Jr., James 


1841 


Pratt. John M. 




U. 


1852 


Peet, Wm. M. 

R. 
Raymond, J. W. 


1845 


Underbill, R. C. 


1830 


1833 


V. 

Van Cott. J. M. 


" 


Raymond. John H. 


1839 


Van Cott, Wm. II. 


1832 


Rolfe. JohD P. 


1841 


Van Bergen. Peter 


1834 


Raymond. Robert R. 


1847 


Van Cott. Jr.. G. 


1835 


Rutherford, C. 


1850 


VanWyck, Courtlandt 


1836 


Rutherlord, S. 




W. 
Wright, John S. 
Walcott. J. P. 
Waldo. W. B.- 
Williams. 

Willetts, Franklin 
Wallace Wilfred 
Wise, W. C. 
Winslow, Daniel C. 


1837 
1839 
1840 

if 

1841 
1843 
1850 

it 


Riley, H. 
Roberts, D. S. 
Ripley, G. C. 
Richards, A. C 
Rossiter, S. M. 
Reynolds. G. G. 
Remington, J. H C. 
Rice. Edwin T. 
Rogers, S. R. 
Rhodes, John H. 
Reed, Jr., Lewis B. 


1835 
1836 
1837 

1838 
1841 
1842 
1S44 


1850 
1852 


1850 


Wetmore, Augustus 
Woodhull, Caleb S. 




S. 




y. 


1830 


Spooner, A. J. 


1840 


Young, Henry L. 



